No Prince in Shining Armor
by Sage Dans Les Lys
Summary: He was too hard. Too rough around the edges to be considered a prince. But somehow this made him better in Levy's eyes than some old prince in a fairy tale. *1/9/13- Sorry! Wrong chapter 3. Correct one up now!*
1. Chapter 1

**No Prince in Shining Armor**

**Chapter 1**

Levy stretched her arms over her head as she walked up the last couple of steps to her apartment. The petite girl opened her door and flipped on the light, dropping her bag on a table chair. The word mage once again stretched her arms, wore out from the solo mission she just finished up. It was too late now to go to the guild so she'll have to go tomorrow. A smile spread across her face as she caught sight of a bright red ribbon wrapped around a new book sitting on her bookcase.

She hummed as she unwrapped it, her eyes widening as she saw what book it was. By God, she has been wanting this book since as long as she could remember. But it cost several millions of jewels since it was so rare. And by the looks of it, this was a first edition with a signature from the author. Levy sighed, wishing not for the first time that she knew the name of her admirer.

Every time she returns from a mission for the past six months, she finds a new book wrapped up in a ribbon on her bookcase. No name. No clues. Nothing to point to the name of this person. Levy placed the book on the table before heading off to bed. Best not to linger on it any longer. Especially considering she's about dead on her feet. Crawling under the covers, Levy allowed sweet sleep to take her over, making a note to talk to the girls tomorrow.

_~The Next Day~_

"Maybe it's Gajeel." Levy proceeded to nearly choke on her tea. Fried, the forever gentleman, pat her gently on the back. Lucy was holding her stuff away from her to avoid having tea getting on her books and papers. The blue haired woman waved them away as she managed to catch her breath.

"Are you alright, Levy?"

Levy smiled as she nodded to Yukio. "I would be better if it wasn't for the fact Cana was trying to kill me." She glared at the woman in the bikini top across from her, who only smirked. The word mage thanked Lucy as the blonde woman handed her back her things.

"Maybe Big Sister Cana is on to something."

The smallest adult at the table stared at Romeo. "Think about it though, Big Sister Levy. Gajeel seems to have some sort of protective streak in him when it comes to you. Well, he has one when it comes to everyone in the guild. But more noticeable when it comes to you."

Fried nodded thoughtful before adding, "There's also the fact that you love him." Pale cheeks became dull red as Levy stuttered out, "I-Is it that obvious?"

Yukio reached across the table and pat Levy's hand with a warm smile while saying, "It is. Second only to Juvia's love for Gray." Levy groaned as she slammed her head against the table softly. She couldn't believe that she made her feelings so known that it seconded Juvia. Juvia!

"Levy," the blue haired mage looked up at Lucy, "just ask Gajeel to come with you on some errands today. It's won't be an official date or whatever. But just take him out and see how he acts without all of us around. And, who know? Maybe he really is the one leaving you new books."

The petite woman nodded at her best friend's logic. It won't be a date-date, but more like when she and Lucy went out together to help each other with errands. Nothing fancy or special. "And speak of the Devil and the Devil shall appear. There's Gajeel and he's alone." Levy turned her head to where Cana was pointing. She was right- Levy couldn't see Pantherlily and none of the other dragon slayers were around Gajeel as he sat at the bar, eating.

Gathering up her courage and her things, Levy quickly, as to not lose this chance, walked up to the guitar player. "Um, Gajeel?" He looked up at her, a piece of steel pipe hanging out from the corner of his mouth, with curious red eyes. He finished eating what he had in his mouth before grumbling, "What?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to help me with some errands today. If you weren't busy or anything?"

A moment of silence passed between them, with Gajeel staring at her with blank eyes. Levy could feel sweat starting to lightly trail down the back of her neck. "Ok." The break of silence took her off guard and it took a minute for her to wrap her head around what Gajeel just said.

"Ok?"

A scowl made its way onto Gajeel's face before he stood up, his height towering over her- one of the reasons why she fell in love with him. There was something about his towering height that sets him apart from other men, something that made her feel protected.

"Come on, Shrimp. We don't have all day." Levy sprinted to catch up with man as he almost left the guild without her. Something told Levy that this wouldn't be a normal day.


	2. Chapter 2

**~No Prince in Shining Armor~**

**Chapter 2**

Levy stolen another glance at her silent companion as she paid the woman behind the counter. "Thank you! Come again!" The mage waved and nodded, happy that she found some new blankets. The heating in her apartment building was broken and she decided that she might as well pick up some new, thicker blankets instead of complaining about it like some of her older neighbors were doing. All hers were getting too thin and some were even starting to literally fall apart at the steams.

"Ok, so, I have some sewing supplies, more tea and coffee, the reference books I have been looking for, and some new blankets. Do you need to buy anything, Gajeel?" She craned her head back to look up at the iron dragon slayer, who was carrying all her purchases, which were neatly packed in a wooden carton, on one of his shoulders. For the most part of the trip, the man has been quiet with the occasional grunt as she added something to the box. From the corner of her eye, she has taken note of his constant staring. It was an intense, quiet type of stare. The kind of stare that reminded her of a predator that was keeping watch over something that belonged to him and was content with the watching.

"Nope. Me and Pantherlily went out earlier and restocked everything." Levy made a little 'o' with her mouth as a stray thought passed through her mind.

"Where is Pantherlily? I haven't seen him all day."

"He's visiting Shagotte."

Levy giggled. "He must really like her. Didn't he visit her twice last week?" Gajeel snorted as he grabbed her arm to pull her out of the way of a pair of laughing men that weren't paying attention and almost ran into her as they walked up her flight of stairs. They were at her apartment door now, just standing outside.

"Considering he's married to her and got her pregnant with Charlie, it isn't a surprise that he loves her." Hazel eyes widen as Levy's mouth dropped opened. Just as she was about to say something, a large hand that wasn't Gajeel's grabbed her shoulder.

"Excuse me, are you Levy McGarden?"

She looked behind her to find a young, plain looking man standing behind her. His eyes were a dull brown, the same color as his hair. She vaguely remembered him at the last meeting the apartment building owner had- he must be the new tenant for the apartment two stories above her. His eyes lit up when he caught sight of her face. "Yes, I'm Levy. And who are you?"

A smile threatened to spilt his face in half as he grabbed her hand and shook it. "I'm Nicholas. I'm a fan of you." A shaky smile appeared on Levy's face in attempt to appear friendly even though she was starting to feel uncomfortable under his gaze. "Hey, how about we go grab lunch?"

"No thank you, I already ate." Her and Gajeel ate a little café that Gajeel took her too because "they made the best damn sandwiches. Ever."

"Oh, how about dinner then? I know this great place that I'm sure you would love."

Levy slipped her hand out of the loosened grip and took a small step back. Not even Droy and Jet were this eager for a date, and they backed off after the first refusal. "No, thank you."

"Aw come on, why not?" He made a move to grab her hand again, and she took a bigger step back, bumping into Gajeel's chest. She felt a deep rumble and she looked up at the male to find him darkly glaring at the stubborn fan.

"Hey, asshole. Back the hell off." Nick looked at Gajeel, startled, like he was just noticing the iron dragon slayer's existence. His eyes widen before narrowing, his hands going to his sides in tight fists. Levy was surprised by Nick's courage to face an angry Gajeel- no one but the other dragon slayers and Pantherlily messes with Gajeel when he's mad. No one had that kind of guts. So this man must have those guts or was really stupid.

"And who the hell are you?"

"I'm her boyfriend, dipshit."

Wait, what?


	3. Chapter 3

**~No Prince in Shining Armor~**

**Chapter 3**

Levy stared up with wide eyes as Gajeel glared at an equally shocked Nick. _'Did he just say that he is my boyfriend?' _Levy thought as Gajeel pulled her closer to his warm, hard body. The woman stole a glance at Nick. He was frozen still, his hands no longer fists. His eyes almost took up half of his face and she could haven swore that his mouth was hanging down to his collar bone. Finally something sparked in his eyes, before his moth snapped shut and fear came running like hell into his eyes. _'Must have realized that he wouldn't stand a chance in any life against Gajeel.'_

"S-Sorry, man! I didn't know she's yours!"

And with that, Nick went sprinting past them as if Gajeel would rip out his throat if he didn't get away soon enough. Levy heard him run up the two flights of stairs before his door opened and slammed shut, leaving her and Gajeel alone. The word mage opened and closed, wanting to say something but her mind was having trouble with coming up with something. Anything.

Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on whose view), Gajeel made the first move for her. Moving away from her (she shivered when his hand ran across her lower back which was a sensitive spot for her), Gajeel's free arm opened up her door since she didn't bother to lock it- she just wrote up some runes to keep everyone but members of Fairy Tail out. Her body went into autopilot because before she knew it, she was standing in her apartment watching Gajeel place her purchases on her kitchen table. He turned around and walked out the door. But not before stopping next to her and saying, "There's a little restaurant two blocks from the guild. I'll be there at around 7:30 tonight. You in?"

Levy nodded, watching Gajeel smirk and walk out the door, shutting it behind him, leaving the female mage by herself. That's when reality and her mind finally landed on the same page, on the same paragraph, on the same sentence and word. "I have a date! With Gajeel!"

_**~Later on That Same Day~**_

Biting her bottom lip, Levy nervously glanced around the waiting area as she wait for Gajeel to show up. She arrived twenty minutes ago, and there was still a good twenty more minutes until the time that Gajeel said he would be here by. Anxiety kept plaguing her, and Levy knew if she stayed home any longer, she would change into a new outfit at least two more times. The one that she was currently wearing was her fifth attempt at finding something that wasn't too laid back but wasn't too dressy.

She was wearing a pale orange belled sleeved dress that reached down to her knees and white ankle boots. Her hair was pulled back with a white hair band, the tails ending at her shoulder blades. "Shrimp." Levy looked up and blushed a pretty pink color as she took in the sight of Gajeel.

He was wearing a pair black dress pants with a gray button up shirt, the first couple of buttons undone to tease Levy with the sight of his collar bone. His hair, which Levy sometimes had to wonder how he managed to keep the long strands under control, was tied back at the nape. All in all, like any other day, Gajeel looked gorgeous. "Hi, Gajeel." Levy was impressed with herself- she managed to not stutter like a fool.

"Why are you waiting?"

'_Because you weren't here.' _"Because we don't have a reservation."

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, a tall older man wearing the restaurant uniform came up with a smile. "Welcome back, Gajeel. Your table is ready." Levy felt a tiny pinch of guilt as they walked past the other waiting couples, all of who were here before she arrived. They were led to a table in the back that had a great view of the little market square behind it. The mage blushed as Gajeel pulled out her chair, muttering a 'thank you' when he pushed it in before walking around to his side.

"What could I get you to drink?"

"Water and ice tea, Roger."

The waiter- Roger- nodded before he walked away. Levy played with her fingertips as she scanned the menu for something to eat, which wasn't easy because everything sounded so good. And because of the silence that Levy decided to break first. "You and Roger seem to be good friends."

Gajeel shrugged. "I come here often enough, usually with Pantherlily. Roger at this point also makes sure there's a table ready in case I come." Levy nodded thoughtfully as Roger came back with their drinks.

"Are you ready to order?"

"I'll have the pasta with white cream sauce, please." Roger hummed before he turned to look at Gajeel.

"The usual?"

"The usual."

Roger nodded and smiled at Levy, who smiled back. "Do take care of Gajeel here. Heaven know what he would be without you around?" Levy gaped silently while Gajeel groaned into his hands, Roger chuckling as he walked away again. The woman turned to face Gajeel, the question in her eyes. _What is going on?_ Gajeel sighed and ran his hands down his face before looking as her.

"I love you, Levy."

Levy blushed from the blunt confession and how good her name sounded coming from Gajeel's mouth. "Why, and when?" she asked, peering at the dragon slayer through her eyelashes.

"You are the opposite of me- tiny, smart, kind, etc. You are everything that I can't ever be. And I don't honestly know when I fell. All I knew that I wanted to tear every man's arm off for even glancing at you with anything less than full respect, and rip his eyes out for ogling you. Which, if I'm remembering what that old bastard foster father of mine taught me about mating, is a sign that my dragon instincts sees you as its mate and will accept no other. So when that Mick guy or whatever his name was kept trying to get a date with you, he was trying to steal something that I consider mine."

The word mage was stunned- this was the most that she has ever heard Gajeel talk about anything, left alone something so personal like feelings. But a smile still spread across her mouth as she leaned across the table, pulled on Gajeel's shirt to bring him closer to her, and kissed him, on lookers be damned. The feel of his slightly chapped lips against hers and the cool chin studs against her chin was the most amazing thing she has ever felt.

They pulled apart, the smile still on Levy's face, just as a few minutes before their food arrived. Roger, with a seemingly all knowing look, smiled at the bewildered expression on Gajeel's face before he left again, saying "This one is on the house, my friend. You have found a fine woman." Levy giggled, her stomach still in knots over the kiss.

"I love you too, Gajeel."

A smirk crossed the male mage's face before he started to eat. And they ate in perfect silence, comfortable with just being in each other's presence, their ankles wrapped around each other under the table, hidden from the rest of the world.


End file.
